Form Your Own Inserts

An overview of Formdrill USA Inc. and its organization, products, services and capabilities.

Formdrill USA Inc. (Chicago, IL) manufactures tools that enable you to Form your Own Inserts©. These tools, Formdrills, form a hole in thin walled flat or tubular stock. Besides forming the hole, they also form a bushing using the displaced material that is normally cut using a conventional drill.

The process eliminates the use of welded nuts, bosses or threaded inserts. The concept is very simple and elegant at the same time. The tool turning at high speed pushing against the material creates friction which heats the material and transforms it into a plastic state. Many visitors to our trade-show demonstrations remember they have done the exact process, at one time or another using a dull drill and wonder why they didn’t think to build a company around the concept.

Formdrill did just that about 30 years ago. Working with university laboratories and large volume users over the years, they have perfected the carbide component, tool geometries and equipment parameters to optimize resulting joints and tool life to make it and elegant process that can tackle the rugged demands of applications in the automotive, heat­ing and cooling systems, medical equipment, metal furniture and any application that uses thin materials that need to be joined to other parts.

Formdrills can be used in most ferrous and nonferrous metals including mild steel, stainless steel, copper and aluminum, with material thickness up to ½”. Standard drills are available in any size up to 1.5” diameter. No special and costly machinery is required. A standard drill press, milling machine or CNC system will do fine.

Because the process is chip less, no scrap is produced. The completed drilled and tapped bushing is an inte­gral part of your work piece – nothing is added and nothing is removed. You will get stronger joints and reduce your labor and material costs.

Come see us at the following shows: Fabtech in Monterrey, Mexico, Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show near Toronto, Canada, Westec in Los Angeles, CA and Fabtech in Chicago. If you cannot attend, we will gladly assist you evaluate implementing the process. Typical tooling and accessories cost range from $600 to $800 depending on the diameters to be used.

The FORMDRILL® System produces strong threaded bushings in steel, stainless, aluminum or copper without producing chips! Formdrills are available in sizes up to 1” and can be used in material up to 1/2” thick. Most drill presses, milling machines, or CNC units can be used.

Formdrill USA Inc.
4118 N Nashville
Chicago, IL 60634
Phone: 773-290-1040
Fax: 773-290-1041
info@formdrill-usa.com
www.formdrill-usa.com